First, Watch This Video:
Breaking down an AR-15 may seem like a daunting task if you’ve never done it before…
…but the truth is, it’s actually pretty simple.
You don’t need to be a boot camp-hardened soldier or a skilled gunsmith to do a proper AR-15 field strip…
….and to prove my point, here’s how to field strip an AR-15 in 5 easy steps!
Step 1: Make sure your rifle is completely unloaded.
It is absolutely essential that you clear your AR 15 before field stripping it.
If you fail to do this, you can cause serious injury to yourself or another person. So always start by handling your firearm safely.
From there simply remove the rifle’s magazine, and then pull on your charging handle.
Pulling on the charging handle allows you to visually inspect the rifle’s chamber.
You want to make sure there is no round in the chamber and that is it completely empty.
Once you have confirmed this, move on to ‘Step 2’.
Step 2: Push through the takedown pins.
The next step in the process is to locate the 2 takedown pins….
Push both pins through from the right side of the rifle to the left.
These pins are captured. So they will not fall out of the lower receiver, and once they’re through…
…you can easily separate your upper receiver from your lower receiver.
From there, put your lower receiver to the side because for a field strip you won’t be breaking it down any further, and move on to ‘Step 3’.
Step 3: Remove the bolt and carrier.
Take your upper receiver and pull the charging handle back about 2 inches.
Allow the charging handle to sit in place and pull your bolt carrier out of the upper receiver.
Next, put your bolt carrier to the side for a moment, and slowly pull your charging handle forward…
…until it drops freely from its slot and can be pulled out of the upper receiver.
Set your upper receiver and charging handle to the side because at this point those parts are fully field stripped, and move on to ‘Step 4’.
Step 4: Remove the firing pin.
Take your bolt carrier and remove your firing pin retaining pin by pulling it out to the left side.
You may be able to grab it with your finger, but if you can’t get a hold of it, use a pick to gently pull it out.
Put your firing pin retaining pin to the side, and make sure you don’t lose it because it is a small part.
Next, allow your firing pin to drop out of the rear of the bolt carrier.
Once your firing pin is out, place it to the side and move on to ‘Step 5’.
Step 5: Remove the bolt from the carrier.
Make sure your bolt is fully pushed into the carrier and rotate your cam pin about 90 degrees until you can pull it out.
Set your cam pin to the side, and you’re on to the last step!
Simply, pull the bolt out of the front end of the carrier, and you now have a fully field stripped AR-15 that you can inspect or clean.
AR-15 Field Strip – The Reassembly…
To reassemble your field stripped AR 15 simply complete all steps in the reverse order.
You can also reference the video at the top of this page to see the process in action…
In addition to that, now that you’re a pro at field stripping your rifle…
I want to help you make sure that your marksmanship fundamentals are all squared away…
So if you need help improving your shooting…
Check out my FREE guide that shows you how to improve your shooting without leaving your home or spending a dime…
It’s 100% FREE and you can get access instantly by clicking the button below:
Farewell, and have fun on the range!
Red Dot Shooters